3 Introduction This is the assessment report of the Master in Consultancy and Entrepreneurship, Master in Finance and Accounting and Master in Logistics Management programmes, part of the degree programmes offered by the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. The assessment was conducted by an audit panel compiled by NQA commissioned by Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. The panel has been compiled in consultation with the study programme and has been approved prior to the assessment process by NVAO. In this report Netherlands Quality Agency (NQA) gives account of its findings, considerations and conclusions. The assessment was undertaken according to the Assessment frameworks for the higher education system of NVAO (22 November 2011) and the NQA Protocol 2014 for limited programme assessment. The site visit took place on 8 and 9 September The audit panel consisted of: Mr dr. A.C.J.M. Olsthoorn (chairperson) Mr prof. dr. J.A.A. van der Veen (representative) Mr H. van der Wal (representative) Mr. Ir E. Joustra CPIM (representative) Mr A.C.P. Peeters BA (student member) Mr drs. J.G. Betkó, NQA-auditor, acted as secretary of the panel. The study programme offered a critical reflection; form and content according to the requirements of the appropriate NVAO assessment framework and according to the requirements of the NQA Protocol The panel studied the critical reflection and visited the study programme. Critical reflection and all other (oral and written) information have enabled the panel to reach a deliberate judgement. The panel declares the assessment of the study programme was carried out independently. Utrecht, 14 November 2014 Panel chairman Panel secretary Mr dr. A.C.J.M. Olsthoorn Mr drs. J.G. Betkó NQA Rotterdam Business School: cluster MA C&E, F&A, LM limited programme assessment 3/55

5 Summary The professional study programmes Master in Consultancy and Entrepreneurship (MCE), Master in Finance and Accounting (MFA) and Master in Logistics Management (MLM) of Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences are assessed as satisfactory. The argumentation on which this assessment is based, is given in this summary and in the audit report. Standard 1 Intended learning outcomes The three study programmes, Master in Consultancy and Entrepreneurship, Master in Finance and Accounting and Master in Logistics Management (hereafter: MCE, MFA and MLM) are part of the Rotterdam Business School (RBS). The RBS has an international focus, the programmes are taught in English and there are many international students. The intended learning outcomes consist of a number of general competencies, which apply to all three of the programmes, and a set of specific competencies per programme. This places the masters somewhere in between a more generalistic and a more specific approach. There are seven general competencies, including the Interpersonal competency, Innovative competency and Environmental competency. MCE has seven specific competencies, MFA has nine and MLM has four. The RBS used the Dublin descriptors and the Standard for HBO Masters to define the master level of the intended learning outcomes. The competencies are validated by both the Advisory Board of the three master programmes, as well as by associate professors of the knowledge centres Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Mainport Innovation & Sustainable Solutions. The RBS has three themes with which it wants to distinguish itself. These are internationalisation, intercultural awareness and corporate social responsibility/sustainability, which are relevant choices. Integrating these themes in the curriculum is still work in progress. The panel assesses standard 1 as satisfactory for all three the programmes. Standard 2 Teaching-learning environment The curriculums are an adequate reflection of the intended learning outcomes. The content of the different programmes is relevant. Compared with similar bachelor programmes, the RBS masters focus more on innovation, company results, problem solving, reflection and gaining a higher level of comprehension. The programmes have a decent research line, in which students are being taught relevant research skills. Some attention could be given to statistics. It is positive that early in the curriculum, students are stimulated to think about their thesis subject. The interaction with the professional practice is adequate, thanks to interesting guest lecturers, real life casestudies and projects, and the thesis. NQA Rotterdam Business School: cluster MA C&E, F&A, LM limited programme assessment 5/55

6 The didactics used by the RBS are also adequate. A number of working methods are used, that fit their purpose and the didactical concept, in which there is a large role for student interaction. The curricula are built-up in 4 blocks, with a practice-driven, student-driven and knowledgedriven track. This adds to the coherence of the programme. The programmes consist of both specific and general modules. There are relatively a lot of different modules, with only a few EC per module. By dropping some of the smaller components and using these EC to add to the core courses in each Master, more balance between specialization and general approach might be obtained. With the relative low total number of EC (many similar programmes are larger) the programmes are ambitious in content. A thing that requires attention is the studiability of the programmes. There are several aspects that limit the studiability. The large number of modules leads to a large number of tests. The ambitious nature of the programmes makes it common that students study in evenings, weekends or holidays. For almost all students, the programme isn t taught in their first language, which makes studying more difficult. For foreign students, it s more difficult to find an organisation/company to graduate. And there are several issues in the thesis process that affect the studiability negatively. The programme management is aware of this problem and already has taken several actions on the point of studiability, but it remains a major point of attention. The staff and the facilities are adequate. The teachers cover the different professional fields and teachers are accessible. There might be more PhD s added to the staff, given that it is a programme on the master level. The panel assesses standard 2 as satisfactory for all three the programmes. Standard 3 Assessment and achieved learning outcomes The panel is positive regarding the system for testing and assessment. The programmes use good tests and assessments, which fit the competencies and the curriculum. The variety of assessment methods used corresponds with the learning methods. All three programmes mostly use exams in the first block, (individually assessed) integrated group assignments in the second block and individual integrated assignments in the third block. In the integrated assignments, professional products are made by students. The way the RBS gives feedback is a point of attention. Students who graduate have realized the intended learning outcomes and reach the master level. The topics of the thesis represent the broad, generalist approach of the programmes. The theses are of an acceptable level, but could be improved, especially by improving the supervision. More supervision by experts in the specific field of research would be an improvement, also in the phase of the thesis proposal. When more PhD s are appointed as teachers, it would be beneficial to have at least one supervisor teacher of PhD level per student. 6/55 NQA Rotterdam Business School: cluster MA C&E, F&A, LM limited programme assessment

7 These improvements could lead to better defined research questions and more coherence between the literature that students use and their own research through interviews or questionnaires. The majority of the theses deal with relevant problems for the professional field. The panel assesses standard 3 as satisfactory for all three the programmes. NQA Rotterdam Business School: cluster MA C&E, F&A, LM limited programme assessment 7/55

12 International background MFA students September 2012 February 2013 September 2013 February 2014 Number % Number % Number % Number % Dutch Other European countries Non-western % % % % International background MLM students September 2012 February 2013 September 2013 February 2014 Number % Number % Number % Number % Dutch Other European countries Non-western US 1 3 Total % % % 8 100% Table 2: Success rate Definition - The proportion of master students earning a master s degree within the official length of the programme + one year (= 2 years). Students enrol in September and February. MCE Cohort Cohort Cohort September February September February September February Success rate 100% 0%* 78% 100% 61% 78% MFA * The February group in 2010 consisted of only two students. Cohort Cohort Cohort September February September February September February Success rate 94% 80% 90% 65% 70% 79% MLM Cohort Cohort Cohort September February September February September February Success rate 95% 92% 93% 63% 93% 56% 12/55 NQA Rotterdam Business School: cluster MA C&E, F&A, LM limited programme assessment

13 Table 3: Quality of staff Definition - The proportion of teachers with a master s degree and the proportion of teachers with a PhD among the total teaching staff. Degree MA PhD Percentage 94% 10% Table 4: Student-staff ratio Definition - The ratio between the total number of fulltime students enrolled and the total number of FTEs logged by the teaching staff of the programme in the most recent academic year. Ratio MCE, MFA, MLM 10 FTEs : 229 students 1:23 Some lecturers are involved in all three master programmes (general modules), some are involved in one master programme only (specialisation modules) and others supervise students individually on the master thesis. Table 5: Contact hours Definition - The average weekly number of contact hours (= clock hours) scheduled for each year of the programme. Study year 1 2 Contact hours 16,4 0,8 The average number of contact hours per week per block. MCE MFA MLM Block 1 25,5 25,5 25,5 Block Block Block 4/5 0,8 0,8 0,8 The number of contact hours in the first three blocks is based on 8 weeks (weeks 9 and 10 of a block are for exams, hand in assignments, presentations etc.). In blocks 4 and 5 the student gets 15 hours of thesis supervision (15 hours/20 weeks = 0,8 hour per week average). NQA Rotterdam Business School: cluster MA C&E, F&A, LM limited programme assessment 13/55

14 General information on the study programmes The three study programmes, Master in Consultancy and Entrepreneurship, Master in Finance and Accounting and Master in Logistics Management (hereafter: MCE, MFA and MLM) are part of the Rotterdam Business School (RBS). RBS is a part of the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. The RBS has an international focus. The programmes are taught in English and a large part of the students are international students (see above in the data). The programmes MCE, MFA and MLM share a number of general master competencies, as well as a number of modules in which students work on these general competencies. Each programme also trains students for a number of profession specific competencies in a number of programme specific modules. The programmes share 37 EC. This includes a 13 EC thesis, which is related to the specific study programme a student follows. All programmes aim for graduates of a relevant bachelor programme, with little or no experience in the professional field. The RBS institute, with all BA and MA programmes, went through an uncertain period for a few years. In 2012 more focus could be given to the content and coherence of the programmes. Changes that were made were, among others, the introduction of more programme specific courses in the programmes, replacing general modules. Also the didactics were modernized and became more varied, by the introduction of more case studies, reflection, role play, and integrated projects. January 2013, the MLM programme started with a double degree programme in collaboration with the Trisatki University in Jakarta, Indonesia. Indonesian students follow both the MLM programme, as well as a management programme in Jakarta, and receive two degrees. The MLM programme in Indonesia is an exact copy of the one in Rotterdam, with teachers in Rotterdam being in charge of the content of the modules taught in Jakarta. Students follow 16 EC in Rotterdam, and the other EC in Jakarta. Assessment of exams and assignments and the supervision and assessment of the master thesis are done in the Netherlands. The master programmes participated for the first time in the National Student Enquiry (NSE) in The results of the NSE 2014 are on average higher on almost all themes and subaspects. 14/55 NQA Rotterdam Business School: cluster MA C&E, F&A, LM limited programme assessment

15 2 Assessment The panel describes the findings, considerations and conclusions of each standard of the NVAO assessment framework. The final judgement concerning the study programme will be presented in chapter 3. Standard 1 Intended learning outcomes The intended learning outcomes of the programme have been concretised with regard to content, level and orientation; they meet international requirements. Findings The professions MCE: In the view of the programme, a management consultant is a professional who exchanges views in organisations through observations, interventions and advice and through supporting change and transition processes, in order to support organisations to improve their performance. MCE focuses on general business issues. An entrepreneur initiates, creates and innovates businesses and leads organisations into the desired market positions. The programme defines change management, intercultural intervention skills, strategic thinking, analytical skills, implementation strategies and entrepreneurial spirit as important skills for both consultants and entrepreneurs. MCE graduates can work as entrepreneurs, or in functions where they consult entrepreneurs. MFA: A financial manager is the professional in the organisation who is responsible for providing information to all the stakeholders of the company and who has his own responsibility concerning decisions that need to be made in order to keep the company financially healthy. The programme focuses on three main themes: financial accounting, management accounting and financial management. MLM: A logistic manager develops and communicates the strategic vision with regard to logistics and supply chain issues, such as: customer service, sourcing, production, planning, transportation, distribution, technology, ethics and environmental responsibility. Intended learning outcomes The intended learning outcomes consist of a number of general competencies, which apply to all three of the programmes, and a set of specific competencies for each of the programmes. NQA Rotterdam Business School: cluster MA C&E, F&A, LM limited programme assessment 15/55

16 There are seven general competencies, including the Interpersonal competency, Innovative competency and Environmental competency. MCE has seven specific competencies, MFA has nine and MLM has four. Appendix 1 gives an overview of all the competencies. The RBS used the Dublin descriptors and the Standard for HBO Masters to define the master level of the intended learning outcomes. In a number of matrices the content of the curriculum is related to both the general and the specific competencies and the Dublin descriptors. There is no national competency profile for either MCE, MFA or MLM. The RBS based the general competencies on the competencies of the teacher leader formulated for the Master in Learning and Innovation, since those are useful as generally applicable competencies at master level. They have been translated by RBS to the socio-economic context of (inter)national and local businesses and business development. The specific competencies have been formulated in relation to relevant professional products and roles in the professional field. The competencies are validated by both the Advisory Board of the three master programmes, as well as by associate professors of the knowledge centres Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Mainport Innovation & Sustainable Solutions. The panel finds that the competencies reflect the master level, are relevant for the professions and are adequately tuned with the professional field. Regarding the Advisory Board though, the panel finds that the way it represents the relevant working fields is up for improvement. A field like for example consultancy is only meagrely represented. There are no international representatives, even though the three programmes have a highly international focus. The Advisory Board has a majority of members who come from the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, for example from the knowledge centres, and relatively few external members. Several of the external members are alumni of the RBS, which makes the Advisory Board even more internally focussed. Profile of the programmes MCE: In comparison with other universities, the MCE programme is unique in combining the domains of consultancy and entrepreneurship in a full-time programme for international students. Comparable programmes offer either consultancy or (international) business. MFA: The combination of financial accounting, management accounting and financial management is rather rare, though the master Accounting and Control from the Haagse Hogeschool is rather similar. Other master programmes focus on either financial accounting (aimed at external stakeholders) or management accounting (aimed at internal stakeholders). MFA combines this, and adds the aspect of financial decision making. It considers financial accounting and management accounting as content related fields, necessary for decision making in the finance function of international business. 16/55 NQA Rotterdam Business School: cluster MA C&E, F&A, LM limited programme assessment

17 MLM: Compared to other logistics master programmes, MLM emphasizes the aspect of management. It is also a broad programme, that provides students with a company wide view of the role of logistics, strategically and operationally. The main focus is transforming students into well-rounded logistics and supply chain managers. General: The RBS has three themes with which it wants to distinguish itself. These are internationalisation, intercultural awareness and corporate social responsibility/sustainability. The management explained to the panel that at the moment, these aspects are mainly found in the general competencies. In the year , the RBS will adjust both the competencies and the Body of Knowledge and Skills to better reflect these themes. The panel did not find in the current curriculum explicit reference to the three themes of RBS. However, in the conversations both with management and staff the panel is convinced that this will be the case in the near future. It is, put differently, work in progress. As a result of the last accreditation visit, the RBS decided to make the programmes more specific and less generalistic. The panel is positive that the programme became more specific since the last visit. That topic stays a relevant one. The programmes are only 60 EC, which isn t that much, and about half of the content consists of general modules (see also standard 2). That leaves rather limited room for the programme specific courses, while the domains the programmes target at are very broad. The panel finds that given this situation, the masters are neither really generalistic, nor specific. On the positive side, this is a niche of it s own, but the panel advises the RBS to formulate a vision. Regarding the profile of the programmes, the panel was surprised that especially MLM does not leverage on the international image of the Rotterdam harbour. Given the position of Rotterdam as one of the biggest harbour cities in the world, and the influx of international students, some attention would be appropriate. There were no subjects specifically related to port economics and logistics were mentioned in any curriculum though. Also see standard 2 under incoming students. Considerations and conclusion The panel has determined that the intended learning outcomes of the three programmes are of the appropriate master level. They are relevant for the professions and adequately tuned with the professional field. The representation of the professional field in the Advisory Board can be improved upon, by getting more external, preferably also a few international, representants. Also some domains could be covered more adequately. As for the specific profile, the programmes are somewhere in between generalistic and specific. The three aspects the RBS has as focus points, namely internationalisation, intercultural awareness and corporate social responsibility/sustainability, are relevant choices. It is positive that the RBS will further incorporate them in the intended learning outcomes and the curriculum in the upcoming year. Based on above mentioned considerations the panel comes to the judgement satisfactory for all three programmes. NQA Rotterdam Business School: cluster MA C&E, F&A, LM limited programme assessment 17/55

18 Standard 2 Teaching-learning environment The curriculum, staff and programme-specific services and facilities enable the incoming students to achieve the intended learning outcomes. Findings Structure of the curriculum The curriculum of all three programmes has the same structure. There are three educational blocks, and a fourth block for the master thesis. Due to the similarity in structure, it is possible for students of different programmes to work together in interdisciplinary projects. The educational blocks include eight weeks course work and one week for presentations and exams. The modules that are given in these blocks consist of general and specific modules, and electives, of which students choose two. The general modules are also master-specific. The content of modules is transparently displayed in the module descriptions, which (among others) inform students about the relation with other modules, test criteria, number of EC, and study materials. The electives have a study load of 1 EC, while other modules have a study load of 2 or 3 EC. The entire programme is run two times per year, starting in September and in February. An overview of the programmes is given in annex 2. Regarding the study load of the different modules, the panel finds that the curriculum consists of a relative large number of small modules, each awarded with a few EC s. The panel spoke about this with several stakeholders, in relation to the workload of teachers and students and the coherence of the curriculum. Students mentioned to the panel that the large number of modules didn t pose problems regarding the workload. They did find it difficult that they worked in different groups all the times. Sometimes, there was some overlap in the modules. Alumni confirm that overlap occurs. Regarding the electives, the panel doubts if they have much added value, given that they are only 1 EC. Contents of the curriculum The content of the curriculum is an adequate derivative of the intended learning outcomes, the panel finds. It is obviously a step above and beyond the bachelor level, as it should be. Teachers stressed that the master is, compared with the bachelor, less about understanding, remembering and applying some theories, and more about innovation, company results, problem solving, reflection and gaining a higher level of comprehension. The panel recognizes this difference in focus in the programme. The panel has observed that the three Competencies covering matrices are not elaborated properly and include a number of inconsistencies with the referring module descriptions; this requires more attention. In addition to the competencies, the RBS formulated a Body of Knowledge and Skills (BoKS). Therein it is made clear which knowledge and skills students need to obtain. The current BoKS is formulated in keywords, and should be subject of further improvements by adding one more level of detail. The panel studied the literature lists of the programmes. 18/55 NQA Rotterdam Business School: cluster MA C&E, F&A, LM limited programme assessment

19 The amount of literature to be studied by the students is substantial in relation to the total time available.the literature itself is an adequate representation of relevant literature in the respective fields. In the case of MLM, the panel finds that the content of the curriculum doesn t cover international logistics and the ICT-aspects in logistics sufficiently. Though it is impossible to cover everything in the broad field of logistics, these are important topics, of which the RBS could consider to give them some attention. This means the curriculum also reflects the hybrid nature of the intended learning outcomes, between specialism and generalism. In some cases these aren t well balanced, like the first block of the MFA programme. This is too broad and generalistic, according to the panel. This is also a comment that has been made by the alumni that the panel has spoken with, who also mentioned overlap with their bachelor studies. The current students are divided on the matter of how far the programmes should specialize. Some prefer a broad approach, and consider endepthment to be their own responsibility, while others would prefer more specific courses. Teachers stress that even though the different modules aren t that large, there are certain recurring features, so that the major topics get more attention than the 2 or 3 EC s a module consists of. An example is the research line (see also below). Nevertheless, the panel wonders if the size of the modules is appropriate for some large, fundamental courses. This also poses a risk for the studiability, if students need in fact more time then the EC s represent. International focus All three programmes have a strong international focus. The programme is taught from a global perspective, because the majority of today s business is by nature international. There is an international curriculum and an international classroom. Both staff and students are international. There is much attention for intercultural differences, the programmes are delivered in English and make use of international literature and casuistry. The International Project has an explicit international focus. Students choose for the RBS for, among other things, the international classroom. They have some points of attention though. In some cases, the level of English of some students isn t adequate. To address this, the RBS included an English course in the curriculum, and later in the pre-master. A point of concern is that the Intranet of the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences is only in Dutch and thereby hardly accessible to international students. The intranet of the RBS is in English. Didactics The curriculum is based on the Rotterdam Educational model. It consists of three tracks: knowledge-driven, practice-driven and student-driven. This approach is based on constructivism. Students acquire a substantial knowledge and skill base in the knowledge track. They apply those directly and develop them further in the practice track. NQA Rotterdam Business School: cluster MA C&E, F&A, LM limited programme assessment 19/55

20 The student track is for coaching and giving students the opportunity to give their own direction to the study, by choosing electives and by the choice of the thesis subject. Part of student coaching is the Management Development Programme (MDP). It runs the first three blocks, and focuses on broadly building self-awareness, soft skills development, and creation of personal development goals. Students demonstrate their progress in a portfolio. The didactic approach demands intensive student participation in the curriculum. To allow this, classes usually consist of between 20 and 25 students, with a maximum of 30. Students work on case-studies and projects, either alone or in small groups, and present and discuss their findings with each other. The alumni the panel spoke are happy with this approach, they appreciate the group work. During the programme, there is an increase in the complexity of the modules. The emphasis in block 1 is on (applying) knowledge and understanding, in the subsequent blocks the emphasis shifts from applying knowledge and understanding to problem solving, and competencies are developed in a more integrated way. Product and process coaching are gradually reduced, and education becomes less instructive and supervised, and more demand driven and independent learning. Assignments are structured in block 1, more open in block 2 and in block 3 students are given only few details and prescriptions for working out assignments. An example is the International Project that covers all three of the blocks. Students of all three programmes work together in this project. In block 1 the methodology, principles and tools are introduced, which students apply to a case-study. In block 2 students work in groups, make their own project plan and have only one hour of supervision per week. The rest of the time they work together on the plan and do research. In block 3 students execute the project plan and consult the supervisor at their own initiative. In the thesis in block 4 students must demonstrate their ability to work as independent professionals at master level, by identifying, researching and solving a real life business problem. Students and teachers whom the panel spoke with confirmed this increasing level and complexity during the study. In the practice-driven track, students work with real life or simulated cases and projects. An example of this is the International Project in block 2 and 3 (see above). Also the thesis research takes place in the working field. The link with the professional practice in the curriculum is further strengthened by the use of teachers with experience in, and guest speakers from the professional field. MFA organises company visits and guest lectures that are open to all RBS-students. MCE organises yearly an Entrepreneur Seminar Day, which is also open to all, with successful entrepreneurs as key note speakers and panel members. The alumni mention that for some of them, the curriculum is too theoretical, and more links with the professional practice would be welcomed. The current students appreciate the way the International project links with the profession. Concerning the thesis, the panel has the following observation: the thesis is meant by the RBS as a research project in a company, on a real life problem. Some students choose to do a placement in the company on their own accord, next to the research. Though this is good for their working experience, it limits them in the time they can spend on research. 20/55 NQA Rotterdam Business School: cluster MA C&E, F&A, LM limited programme assessment

21 Research The programme has a research line that prepares students for their final thesis. In block 1, students are taught critical and analytical skills in the module Critical Thinking and Argument Analysis. The RBS stresses that practice in critical thinking is extra important for students from cultures in which this is not encouraged. In block 2 and 3 students follow Research Methodologies part 1 and 2. This prepares the students for the research for and writing of the master thesis. Students learn how to collect and analyse data through interviews, questionnaires and observation research and coding qualitative data using template analysis. The focus is on qualitative approaches, statistical methods are not part of the programme. Most students graduate on a case study. Preferably, students end the module Research Methodologies 2 with a research proposal that they will use for their thesis. The panel finds that the research line is adequate. On the one hand it is positive that the final thesis receives attention in the programme before the last block. From another perspective, this means that students need to come up with a subject and find a relevant company, before they finish all the educational models. The module Research Methodologies 2 is worth 2 EC. The panel deems this amount of EC quite small, for a course in which they need to write a thesis proposal as well as learn about qualitative methodology. The panel thinks the research line can be better integrated in the rest of the curriculum and related to the profession. The management of the master programmes has acknowledged this and has the ambition to integrate research further in the programme. Given the importance of statistics in all three programme domains, some attention to quantative research would be appropriate. To strengthen the programmes regarding research, the RBS started in 2014 with a research platform, in which 17 teachers participate. These teachers do research for several of the knowledge centres of the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, like Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Mainport Innovation & Sustainable Solutions. Half of these teachers are educated on PhD level. Teachers are also involved in international research projects, which deliver assignments for student projects in the International Project or for master theses. The RBS doesn t have a knowledge centre of its own, and aims to define specific research themes in relation to these knowledge centres. The Panel strongly supports the RBS in her ambition to define her own research themes as the basis for positioning research both in terms of subjects as well as methodology within the curriculum. Incoming students Students enrol in September or February. Dutch students need to have a bachelor degree in a relevant, NVAO accredited business study-programme, with a thesis grade of at least 6,5. For students with a non-dutch diploma, admission criteria are: a bachelor degree in business studies, and successfully completed tests GMAT 500, IELTS 6,5 or TOEFL IBT 90. Students who have completed a bachelor programme taught in English are exempt from the English test. RBS offers two different pre-master courses: a 12-month pre-master for students who have a bachelor degree in a non-business field, and a 6-month pre-master for students who do not meet the IELTS/TOEFL and GMAT entry requirements. NQA Rotterdam Business School: cluster MA C&E, F&A, LM limited programme assessment 21/55

22 The panel is positive about the fact that there are several options for the pre-master, depending on the deficiency an incoming student has. Students mentioned to the panel that the pre-master courses work well, and that most differences in educational level of the students from different parts of the world are overcome due to the pre-master programme. The Exam Board can grant individual students exemptions for a particular course, if they can prove they have taken a comparable course in English on the master level. Incoming students choose to study at RBS for a number of reasons: the applied science nature of the programmes, the international classroom, the fact that the programmes take only one year, while comparable programmes take longer. Some students indicated that the link between theory and practice can be made stronger and more explicit in the program. Some students come for Rotterdam as the city that is famous for it s international, world class harbour. The panel is surprised that there isn t any specific attention for this in the curriculum, especially for a programme like MLM. The more because the recruitment leaflet is decorated with a picture of a big container ship. Studiability The Panel has its doubts as the studiability of the programs is concerned. Although RBS makes an effort to spread the workload as evenly as possible over the blocks, students, generally, indicate that they spend more time than one would expect in relation to the number of EC indicated. There are several reasons for this phenomenon. In their study of the curriculum and the study material, the panel finds that the large number of modules leads to a large number of exams. In some cases, modules are completed with both an exam and a written paper (sometimes one paper for several related modules). This is quite a lot, especially since the papers in question tend to be large. In general, the study load is heavier because the programmes are taught in English. Non-native speakers face difficulties reading and understanding relatively advanced scientific texts, such as articles. It simply requires more time to do so, while the programme expects students to read 10 pages per hour. The panel spoke with several of the stakeholders about the studiability. Students and alumni the panel spoke with, differ on the matter. Some students come from a country and a culture that finds it normal to spend substantially more hours a week than is assumed by the number of EC. They might not find studiablity and issue. However, they are also not representative for all students. The school has to take this into account according to the Panel. In general, students spend between 30 and 50 hours per week on their study, more in peak periods. They have about 9 contact hours per week, which they deem sufficient. Students think it is realistic to finish the programme in 12 months, when a student starts in august and continues studying during summer, and are willing to (occasionally) work in weekends and evenings. Some students mention that the simultaneous planning of the placement and thesis increases the workload. 22/55 NQA Rotterdam Business School: cluster MA C&E, F&A, LM limited programme assessment

23 Doing a placement together with the thesis research isn t required by the RBS though, but some companies demand that a student also works there, according to students. The alumni the panel spoke, who seemed very ambitious, took on average 15 months to complete the programme. The completion of the thesis in a reasonable time poses serious problems for students, the panel finds. It starts with the grading of the thesis proposals, at the end of the module Methodology 2. There is one methodology teacher, who needs to grade all the approximately fifty proposals. This has lead to delays in the past years. Last year, the methodology teacher was assisted by four other teachers, which helped in elevating this bottleneck somewhat. The grading of the proposals is not done by teachers who are experts on the thesis-topic; they only look at the methodology. This can lead to problems, as students start with questions that are unfit given the domain. When they present their proposal to the supervisor under which they will graduate, they might have to rework their proposal yet again. Also, the grading of the proposals leads to delay for a lot of students. Many are rejected at least three times, which makes it almost impossible to finish the study in 12 months. Furthermore, during the writing of the thesis there are several issues. Only after a proposal has been accepted, students get their supervisors. The first supervisor is mostly concerned with the structure and methodology, the second supervisor is an expert on the content. It happens that the second teacher is stricter, and that in the thesis process the feedback on the content comes too late to make meaningful changes in the research. Delay in feedback is a problem for several of the alumni the panel spoke. According to them, sometimes they had to wait weeks to get an answer on a yes or no - , or had to go to the university and find the teacher in person because mail wasn t answered. The RBS states that it is policy that supervisors should answer questions within five working days. A positive note, when speaking with alumni who graduated in different years, is that the most recent graduates experienced more structure and more supervision than the earlier graduated alumni. This shows that the RBS works on the studiability issues and is making improvements. The first supervisor has 16 hours for supervision, including one visit to the company or organisation in which a student does his research. The panel thinks a few more hours for doing the supervision would be more appropriate. The RBS gives students a lot of responsibility; they need to look actively for supervision if they need it. This is done on purpose, given the master level of the programmes. Due to the international nature of the programme, there are quite some students from cultures in which asking questions is more difficult. Thus, not all students are used to the degree of independency and responsibility given to them by RBS. For those student this freedom doesn t help their successful progress through the curriculum. For them, there probably is not enough supervision and studiability is a problem. Another issue is the finding of a good organisation to do the research / thesis-project. This is more difficult for the international students, since they lack the network in the Netherlands, and need to find an organisation in which English is spoken as working language. NQA Rotterdam Business School: cluster MA C&E, F&A, LM limited programme assessment 23/55

24 The RBS helps students by attending them from the beginning of the study that they need to find a company. In the case something goes wrong with a thesis project, they have a back-up in the form of research-projects from the research platform (see above). Nevertheless, the panel thinks for international students more help would be useful or even necessary. The panel likes to emphasize that the aspect studiability has additional importance because of the international nature of the programme. When students from abroad choose to follow a 60 EC, 12 months programme, they should be able to depend on the fact that it is reasonable to complete the programme in this time. Study delay has often graver consequences for international students, like extra expenses on housing, which is much more expensive in the Netherlands than in many countries of origin. Quality of staff and study programme-specific facilities All three master programmes have a joint staff, of 48 lecturers / thesis supervisors. The balance between internal and external lecturers (who are not employed by the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences) is 56%: 44%. Up till the year more external lecturers were used. The management of the programme decided to use more internal lecturers, who are more available for students, consultation with colleagues and for tasks other than lecturing. Though the lecturers operate as one team, there are also specific teams for each of the master programmes. The panel studied the curricula vitae of the staff and the external lecturers, and is positive regarding their expertise. They represent in a proper way the domains of the three programmes. The team consists in total of 48 lecturers / thesis supervisors, 27 internal and 21 external. Of these lecturers 94% has a masters degree. Two lecturers have a degree equivalent to a masters degree (NIVRA and IDM), and five lecturers have a PhD. At the moment of the visitation, one teacher is doing a master study and six are doing a PhD study. The panel deems this number low, given that it s not uncommon for a teacher to be at least one level higher educated than the level he is teaching. The management stressed that they want to increase their number of PhD s, up to the 10% that the University has as policy. All internal and twelve external lecturers have a didactic certificate. A recent step that the programmes have taken to further improve the quality of the teaching, was to introduce a compulsory short didactic course for external teachers. In , the programmes will introduce peer consultation regarding didactics. Lecturers will visit each others lectures and give feedback. This is positive, because according to the alumni and students the panel has spoken to, some teachers lacked teaching and didactical skills. Sometimes the right balance between practical experience and teaching skills needs to be improved, though students are positive about this practical experience. All lecturers have extensive experience in the professional field, for instance in senior management positions, as executive consultant or as coach. 66% of the lecturers has experience in research and 50% has publications. The programme has a number of research lecturers, who function as linking pin between education and research. 24/55 NQA Rotterdam Business School: cluster MA C&E, F&A, LM limited programme assessment

25 Virtually all lecturers have international experience. Twenty-three have a certificate in English or are native speakers. According to the alumni the panel spoke with, there are teachers who should improve their English though. In the NSE 2013 the programmes score satisfactory on the items regarding lecturers. Some slight exceptions are a higher score on lecturer s expertise for the MCE programme and on knowledge of professional practice for all three programmes, and a lower score on availability of lecturers outside class for the MLM programme. The programme held an employee satisfactory survey in 2011 and The scores in 2013 are higher on all items. All items score at least satisfactory in The item that scores lowest, and was unsatisfactory in 2011, is workload. Students are content though about the availability of the teachers, with the exception of the thesis supervision. Services and facilities All three programmes are accommodated at the location Max Euwenlaan. There are classrooms of various sizes, as well as rooms for students to work on their projects and rooms for consultation. All classrooms and project rooms are provided with facilities like a smart board, computer and beamer. Lecturers and students can use the RUoAS library and all its facilities at the location Kralingse Zoom, which is in the vicinity. is used as the digital learning environment, where module descriptions, articles, PowerPoints, presentations and the like are accessible for students. The programme Osiris is used to monitor student progress and to give students insight in their results. The intranet, called HINT, is where practical information can be found. In general, students are satisfied with the facilities. The NSE scores of 2013 also show that students are satisfied on most items regarding services and facilities. Considerations and conclusion The panel finds that the curriculum is an adequate reflection of the intended learning outcomes. The content of the different programmes is relevant. Though the BoKS could be more specific, the content of the modules and the used literature is adequate. The International Project is an interesting way to integrate practice and theory, and to introduce a multidisciplinary element. Of course, especially given the broad nature of the programmes, it is always possible to argue that some topic could have also been included, but in general the choices the RBS makes sense given the intended learning outcomes and the 60 EC programme. Nevertheless, the panel feels that the school should reconsider the large number of small pieces in its curriculum. By dropping some of the smaller components and using these EC to add to the core course in each Master, probably a better balance between specialization and general approach can be obtained. The relative low number of EC (many similar programmes are larger) makes it also ambitious programmes. This ambitious nature seems to fit the students well. The Panel has the impression that they are ambitious themselves. NQA Rotterdam Business School: cluster MA C&E, F&A, LM limited programme assessment 25/55

PROGRAMME SPECIFIC PART OF THE EDUCATION AND EXAMINATION REGULATIONS FOR THE BACHELOR S DEGREE PROGRAMME IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING June 12, 2014 CONTENTS Chapter A General provisions... 3 Article A1 Applicability...

NVAO Initial Accreditation Assessment International Business Innovation Studies - Inholland University of Applied Sciences (003108) Assessment of conditions 1. Introduction and Procedure This report is

FAQ FAQ FA Hounours AQ FAQ FAQ International Business Innovation Studies FA Voltijd Amsterdam/Diemen AQ Can I study abroad? You will have the opportunity to go abroad as part of your studies throughout

Page 1 The version is provided merely as a convenience and is not intended to be a legally binding document. Subject Examination and Academic Regulations for the Research on Teaching and Learning Master

Programme-specific appendix to the TER 2015-2016 for the Master of Science programme Business Administration 1. Structure and content of the programme a. Composition of the programme (including the content

MASTER PROGRAM IN EVENT MANAGEMENT (One year) 1. Program Title Master in Business Administration with specialization in event management (One year) 2. Program Aims and Objectives The education will help

Accelerated International Business and Management Studies Rotterdam Business School The Rotterdam Business School is the international school of the Rotterdam University, University of Applied Sciences.

Haagse Hogeschool The Hague University of Applied Sciences Accounting and Controlling Full Study Programme Assessment Full time and part time programme Netherlands Quality Agency (NQA) February 2012 2/59

Programme description for PhD Programme in Educational Sciences for Teacher Education (180 ECTS credits) at Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences Approved by the Oslo and Akershus University

Reference: LC/2010/001/UITSPR Decision on the application dated 15 May 2010 submitted by a former student of the Hanzehogeschool Groningen, hereafter applicant, regarding conduct of the Hanzehogeschool

BIRMINGHAM CITY UNIVERSITY MA Criminology Programme Specification Faculty of Education, Law and Social Sciences March 2011 Programme Specification: MA Criminology NOTE: This specification provides a concise

Education and Examination Regulations of the Master's Degree Programmes Nijmegen School of Management 2015-2016 Business Administration Public Administration Economics Political Science Spatial Planning

www.cbs.de/en MBA and EMBA Programmes at Cologne Business School Academic excellence Cologne Business School Who we are The Hallmarks of a CBS Education CBS offrers students a rigorous and forward-minded

European Association for Public Administration Accreditation 1 September 2009 EAPAA Accreditation Committee Evaluation Report Public Administration Institute for Turkey and the Middle East (TODAIE), Ankara,

Faculty of Arts Teaching and Examination Regulations 2014-2015 Research Master s degree programmes in History (CROHO 60139) and International Relations (CROHO 60820) Specialization Modern History and International

Bachelor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship 2012-2014 Professionsbachelor i Innovation og Entrepreneurship Bachelor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship August 2012 Bachelor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Programme Syllabus for Master of Science in Management 120 higher education credits Second Cycle Established by the Faculty Board of the School of Business, Economics and Law, University of Gothenburg,

Education and Examination Regulations of the Masters Programmes Nijmegen School of Management, 2008-2009 Business Administration Public Administration Economics Social and Political Sciences of the Environment

International Business Maastricht Study programme profile: Focus The central theme of the International Business (IB) study programme is doing business across borders. IB prepares its students for an international

1 ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS The Regulations for the Degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences apply for the PhD education. The regulations concern the objectives of,

Program Curriculum Page 1 of 7 Program code: RMV20 Bachelor Program in Analytical Finance, 180 credits This is a translation of the original program study plan in Swedish, which was approved by the Faculty

Curriculum for the bachelor s programme in economics and business administration (HA) Aalborg University September 2007 With amendments 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 Curriculum for the bachelor s programme

PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION MA/MSc Psychology of Education and the MA Education (Psychology) Awarding Institution: Institute of Education, University of London Teaching Institution: Institute of Education,

CURRICULUM MASTER OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT Applicable to students enrolling in one or more of the below components of the Master of Disaster Management (MDMa) as of September 1 st 2013 The programme is delivered

Programme Syllabus for Master of Science in Intellectual Capital Management 120 higher education credits Second Cycle Established by the Faculty Board of the School of Business, Economics and Law, University

WWW.CBS.DE/EN MBA AND EMBA PROGRAMMES AT COLOGNE BUSINESS SCHOOL ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE COLOGNE BUSINESS SCHOOL WHO WE ARE COLOGNE BUSINESS SCHOOL Since opening its doors in 1993, the Cologne Business School

Programme Syllabus for Master of Science in Management 120 higher education credits Second Cycle Established by the Faculty Board of the School of Business, Economics and Law, University of Gothenburg,

Explanatory notes to the assessment framework for the assessment of postgraduate master s programmes (academic orientation) in the Netherlands It is up to the assessment panel to determine whether these

European Association for Public Administration Accreditation 18 September 2012 EAPAA Accreditation Committee Evaluation Report Bachelor of Social Sciences in Public administration (BSSPA) and Master of

With the MBA Global Leadership Executive blended learning you gain wider and more in-depth knowledge and skills in the field of business administration as a manager. This flexible English-language based

Seminar 21 November 2014 Jos Roerdink Chairman Steering Committee International Bachelor FMNS FMNS: Programs in transition 10 bachelor degree programmes of Undergraduate School of FMNS will become international

Study, Internship, and Examination Regulations Academy Profession and Bachelor Degrees INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COLLEGE MITROVICA These study and examination regulations apply for the two year Academy Profession

PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION COURSE TITLE: MSc Advanced Accounting PLEASE NOTE. This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the course and the learning outcomes that a typical student

1 Programme curriculum for THE MASTER S PROGRAMME IN POLITICAL SCIENCE, THE 2012 CURRICULUM, VALID FROM 1 SEPTEMBER 2015 Table of contents 1. Preamble... 3 2. Title and affiliation... 3 3. Objectives and

PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION Course Record Information Name and level of final & intermediate Awards MA Music Business Management Postgraduate Certificate in Music Business Management Postgraduate Diploma in

DEGREE PROFILE OF Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) Degree Programme: International Business and Management Studies (IBMS) TYPE OF DEGREE & LENGTH INSTITUTION(S) ACCREDITATION ORGANISATION(S) PERIOD

FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT THE LEON RECANATI GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Graduate Programs http://recanati.tau.ac.il Graduate Programs Master of Business Administration (MBA) Master of Science

ROYAL HOLLOWAY University of London PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION This document describes the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. This specification is valid for new entrants and current students from September

Study Regulations* for the bachelor study programme of Business Administration (B.A.) at SRH Hochschule Berlin according to the decision of the senate 17 of the basic statutes 27. May 2010 1 * Whenever

PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION MA in Education and International Development Awarding body: Institute of Education, University of London Teaching Institutions: Institute of Education, University of London Name